by phildini on May 5, 2017

This originally appeared as a Letter to the Editor for the Alameda Sun on May 4th, 2017.

The recent article regarding the slowdown with the Alameda Point Site A project (“Point’s Developer Reaches Impasse,” April 27) does an excellent job of explaining the current state of affairs between Alameda Point Partners and the City of Alameda, but doesn’t go into a possible cause for lack of subcontractor bids and increased construction costs: uncertainty around our economic future and the effects of the current national administration.

We have already witnessed adverse effects with other projects in Alameda. As the national tax structure becomes less certain, as our economic future seems to change day-to-day, organizations across the board are becoming spooked and less willing to spend on economic growth.

The fact remains that Alameda is seeing its largest homeless population in years, that the number of empty storefronts on Park and Webster streets keeps growing, and that the there is no guarantee the national climate changes for our benefit over the next four years. I hope the City Council keeps in mind how desperately we need the housing and economic growth this project will bring when they make their decision in July.